http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/UK-New ... 2164?f=rss

I'll be interested to hear what individual doctors have to say about this in the future...

Well what about accidents? Many people cut themselves badly as a result of knives during cooking. Will that become a police matter? Gordon Ramsey better watch out.

I'd support Ramsey getting knifed, the tw@t. And yes, I'd like the police to make a big deal of it so everyone knew

I'd suggest any reasonable doctor could tell the difference between an accidental injury and an intentional knife wound. I'm kind of reminded of Black Adder's 'Dish and Dishonesty'

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Vincent Hanna: Now it's time, I think, for a result. Tension is running very high here. Mr. Blackadder assures me that this will be the first honest vote, ever, in a rotten borough. And I think we all hope for a result that reflects the real needs of the constituency. And behind me, yes, I can just see the returning officer moving to the front of the platform.
Blackadder: As the acting returning officer for Dunny-on -the-Wold...
Vincent Hanna: Er, the acting returning officer, Mr. E. Blackadder of course, and we are all very grateful indeed that he stepped in at the last moment, when the previous returning officer accidentally brutally stabbed himself in the stomach while shaving.
...
Vincent Hanna: And now, finally, a word with the man who is at the center of this by-election mystery: the voter himself. (Reads from his papers) And his name is: Mr. E. Bla... (Turns towards Blackadder) Mr. Blackadder, you are the only voter in this rotten borough?
Blackadder: Yes, that's right.
Vincent Hanna: How long have you lived in this constituency?
Blackadder: Since Wednesday morning. I took over from the previous electorate when he very sadly accidentally brutally cut his head off while combing his hair.
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Yes but you never can tell. I once recounted a tale of a disturbed person in a hostel chopping the tips of all his fingers off, then paint the four walls of his room in blood, before then going down 3 flights of stairs painting the walls with more blood before finally being stopped by the police at the front door. To which a social worker responded "was it an accident?"

Now who is to say that a doctor may give the same assessment?

I currently haven't been 'ordered' to tell anything. I presume I have to sit around and wait for the literature that determines what we need to refer to the police, eg accidental injuries, deliberate self harm etc.

I'd imagine once the public get wind of this, they will either lie about their identity (name, details etc), or just not seek medical advice, which may be worse (depending on the type of injury).

The more doctor-patient confidentiality is eroded, the less people will confide and be honest when seeking medical advice, or maybe not bother seeking advice at all.

I wonder why this government are coming out with so much stupid legislation? This will have no positive effect, and as you say will ruin doctors relationships with patients.

Surely if someone has enough of a brain to be a doctor they should be able to make the call themselves?

=/

To be honest when I was 16 I had a little 'incident' with a knife and if the doctor had told my parents or the police I probably wouldn't have finished school, wouldn't have got to uni, wouldn't have starred as the lead role in many operas and musicals etc etc. As it stands the doctor that stitched me up advised counselling and various medications, but never forced me to do anything.

In the current day and age it really shouldn't be the kids who are stabbed that get contact time with the police!

How would you tell? I would imagine that you have enough clinical contact with knife injuries to determine when a genuine accident is an accident, and when an injury is inflicted by someone else. I’d draw parallels with teachers, who have to determine child protection issues - did that child come to school in dirty clothes because “boys will be boys” or is there a parenting failure going on? Was the bruise caused by normal child behaviour, or is there something else going on?



We should, of course, balance this in favour of the patient getting treatment.

Patients who are suicidal are largely (but not always) recognisable and hence the injuries will be consistent with self-harm. Involving the police with some of these patients could make their condition worse.

Patients who present with accidental injuries will have a story consistent with the injuries. If you have any doubt, then you could argue there was a reason to involve the police.

But what are you going to do when, say a patient with an obvious non-accidental knife injury presents? If you tell them you're involving the police and they scarper, there's not a lot you can do. You can't detain them under any mental health powers. Patients are people and they have the ability to refuse treatment (provided they're of sound mind and understand all the risks). If they run, all you can do is inform the police.

So the coppers turn up at the victim's door. Provided s/he are present, what are they going to do if they don't say anything? Arrest them?

If a knife would is serious enough to be reported to the police, then it'll be to serious for a GP to deal with anyway. It's how hospitals deal with yet another burden or paperwork etc.

The majority of injuries present to A&E. The rest stay at home. GPs wouldn't be dealing with knife injuries as it'd be classed as an "emergency" and hence would be seen in the "emergency department".